Stirring apparatus and stirring system

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus (100) for producing a driving force for stirring samples, in particular samples for laboratory operations such as, for example, liquids, liquids with solid samples contained therein or solid samples, said apparatus comprising a sample holder (200) for receiving at least one sample vessel (220) for samples and a bar element (300), which extends along a longitudinal axis (LA) and which is connected to the sample holder (200), wherein the bar element (300) comprises a coupling portion (310) for detachably coupling the bar element (300) to an operating unit (800), a fastening portion (320) for fastening the sample holder (200) to the bar element (300) and for positioning the sample holder (200) along the longitudinal axis (LA) in defined fashion, and a magnetic stirring portion (330), wherein the bar element (300) is embodied in such a way that a magnetic field that rotates relative to the sample holder (200) about the longitudinal axis (LA) can be produced by means of the magnetic stirring portion (330). The invention further relates to system (700) comprising an operating unit (800) and the apparatus (100) according to the invention, which are detachably coupled by way of the coupling portion (310). The invention further relates to a process for stirring samples in sample vessels by means of the system (700).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus ( 100 ) for producing a driving force for stirring, the said apparatus ( 100 ) comprising
 a sample holder ( 200 ) for receiving at least one sample vessel ( 220 ) for samples and 
 a bar element ( 300 ), which extends along a longitudinal axis (LA) and which is connected to the sample holder ( 200 ), 
 wherein the bar element ( 300 ) comprises:
 a coupling portion ( 310 ) for detachably coupling the bar element ( 300 ) to an operating unit ( 800 ), 
 a fastening portion ( 320 ), wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) is connected to the bar element ( 300 ) by means of the fastening portion ( 320 ) fastening the sample holder ( 200 ) to the bar element ( 300 ) and positioning the sample holder ( 200 ) along the longitudinal axis (LA) in defined fashion, and 
 a magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ), 
 
 wherein the bar element ( 300 ) is configured such that a magnetic field that rotates relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA) can be produced by means of the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ), and 
 wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) comprises a body with a body axis and openings ( 210 ) for receiving the sample vessels ( 220 ) in an upright position, wherein the openings ( 210 ) are arranged distributed about the body axis, and 
 wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) is connected to the bar element ( 300 ) in a coaxial fashion so that the openings ( 210 ) are arranged distributed about the longitudinal axis (LA). 
 
     
     
       2. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) has a point-symmetric or cyclically symmetric configuration as seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis (LA). 
     
     
       3. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) is detachably connected to the bar element ( 300 ). 
     
     
       4. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) is formed by an electric magnet, and/or wherein the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) is formed by a bar magnet with two magnetic poles, wherein the magnetic poles extend radially opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA). 
     
     
       5. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening portion ( 320 ) is configured such that the bar element ( 300 ) is mounted to be rotatable relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA), wherein the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) is provided as a rotary magnet to produce the rotating magnetic field by way of rotating the bar element ( 300 ) with respect to the sample holder ( 200 ). 
     
     
       6. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening portion ( 320 ) is formed by a stepped portion ( 321 ) of the bar element ( 300 ), wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) lies in axial fashion on a radial step of the stepped portion ( 321 ) and the sample holder ( 200 ) is mounted in rotatable fashion. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the bar element ( 300 ) has a mechanical stirring portion, which extends radially with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA), wherein the mechanical stirring portion is formed by the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ). 
     
     
       8. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) extends at least partly radially within or outside of the sample holder ( 200 ) or at least partly axially below the latter. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) is rotationally fixed with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA), or the sample holder ( 200 ) is configured such that it rotates with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA) at a different speed to the rotating magnetic field. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 9 , further comprising a blocking part ( 410 ), which interacts with a blocking region ( 400 ) or a blocking structure ( 240 ), of the sample holder ( 200 ) so as to rotationally fix the sample holder ( 200 ) with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA). 
     
     
       11. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a vessel ( 500 ) with a receiving space ( 530 ) for receiving the sample holder ( 200 ). 
     
     
       12. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 11 , further comprising a lid ( 600 ) for sealing the receiving space ( 530 ) in pressure-tight fashion. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the vessel ( 500 ) has a coupling opening ( 520 ) for coupling microwaves into the receiving space ( 530 ). 
     
     
       14. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sample vessel ( 220 ), wherein a stirring element ( 270 ) is arranged in the at least one sample vessel ( 220 ), the stirring element ( 270 ) being able to be put into rotation (P 2 ) by means of the rotating magnetic field of the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ). 
     
     
       15. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion ( 310 ) has a coupling partner ( 810 ) of a mechanical and/or magnetic coupling of the operating unit ( 800 ). 
     
     
       16. Apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion ( 310 ), the fastening portion ( 320 ) and the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) are arranged in this sequence along the longitudinal axis (LA) of the bar element ( 300 ), and have an integral configuration with one another. 
     
     
       17. System ( 700 ), comprising:
 the operating unit ( 800 ) and 
 an apparatus ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus ( 100 ) is detachably coupled to the operating unit ( 800 ) via the coupling portion ( 310 ). 
 
     
     
       18. System ( 700 ) according to  claim 17 , further comprising a thermal sensor ( 420 ) for capturing the temperature in the sample vessels ( 220 ), wherein a blocking part ( 410 ) is formed by the thermal sensor ( 420 ), which, when viewed in the circumferential direction about the longitudinal axis (LA), forms an interlocking connection with a recess ( 260 ) of the sample holder ( 200 ). 
     
     
       19. System ( 700 ) according to  claim 17 , wherein the apparatus ( 100 ) further comprises a vessel ( 500 ) with a receiving space ( 530 ) for receiving the sample holder ( 200 ), and a lid ( 600 ) for sealing the receiving space ( 530 ) in pressure-tight fashion, wherein the lid ( 600 ) is formed together with the operating unit ( 800 ). 
     
     
       20. System ( 700 ) according to  claim 19 , further comprising a drive unit ( 900 ) by means of which the lid ( 600 ) is movable relative to the vessel ( 500 ) in partly or fully automated fashion in order to selectively open the vessel ( 500 ) or seal the latter with the lid ( 600 ). 
     
     
       21. System ( 700 ) according to  claim 17 , further comprising a heating apparatus ( 910 ) for heating a sample. 
     
     
       22. System ( 700 ) according to  claim 17 , further comprising a control unit ( 1000 ) for controlling the operating unit ( 800 ). 
     
     
       23. Process for stirring samples for laboratory operations in sample vessels ( 200 ) the process including the following steps:
 providing a system ( 700 ) according to  claim 17 , 
 inserting at least one sample vessel ( 220 ) comprising a sample into the sample holder ( 200 ), wherein a stirring element ( 270 ) is arranged in at least one of the sample vessels ( 220 ), 
 producing a magnetic field rotating relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA) by means of the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) in order to put the stirring elements ( 270 ) in the sample vessels ( 220 ) into rotation (P 2 ). 
 
     
     
       24. Process according to  claim 23 , wherein the apparatus ( 100 ), is received in a receiving space ( 530 ) of a vessel ( 500 ) before the rotating magnetic field is produced, wherein, further, the receiving space ( 530 ) is sealed by means of a lid ( 600 ), in pressure-tight fashion. 
     
     
       25. Process according to  claim 23 , wherein the bar element ( 300 ) is rotated relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA) while the sample holder ( 200 ) is rotationally fixed with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA) by means of a blocking region ( 400 ). 
     
     
       26. Process according to  claim 25 , wherein, further, a loading liquid ( 550 ) is filled into a vessel ( 500 ), the sample vessels ( 220 ) at least partly protruding into the loading liquid ( 550 ), wherein a mechanical stirring portion of the bar element ( 300 ), which extends radially with respect to the longitudinal axis (LA), is arranged in the loading liquid ( 550 ) such that the loading liquid ( 550 ) is stirred in the case of a rotation (P 1 ) of the bar element ( 300 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA). 
     
     
       27. Apparatus ( 100 ) for producing a driving force for stirring samples, the apparatus ( 100 ) comprising
 a sample holder ( 200 ) for receiving at least one sample vessel ( 220 ) for samples and 
 a bar element ( 300 ), which extends along a longitudinal axis (LA) and which is connected to the sample holder ( 200 ), 
 wherein the bar element ( 300 ) comprises:
 a coupling portion ( 310 ) for detachably coupling the bar element ( 300 ) to an operating unit ( 800 ), 
 a fastening portion ( 320 ), wherein the sample holder ( 200 ) is connected to the bar element ( 300 ) by means of the fastening portion ( 320 ) fastening the sample holder ( 200 ) to the bar element ( 300 ) and positioning the sample holder ( 200 ) along the longitudinal axis (LA) in defined position, and 
 a magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ), 
 wherein the bar element ( 300 ) is configured such that a magnetic field that rotates relative to the sample holder ( 200 ) about the longitudinal axis (LA) can be produced by means of the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ), and 
 wherein the bar element ( 300 ) extends along the longitudinal axis (LA) between two opposite ends, the coupling portion ( 310 ) being on one end, the magnetic stirring portion ( 330 ) being on the other end and the fastening portion ( 320 ) being provided therebetween.